THE STRENGTH OF A FAMILY
by CntryPnknPrincess
Summary: This story is going to be a slight AU story so just bare with me here. Instead of Celebrian sailing to the Undying Lands, she come to our world to live instead and the only other one who knows is Elrond and her parents. There, they have their fourth child together, Riniel who is a gymnast at The Rock and is best friends withe the Rock girls.
1. Chapter 1

Prologue

The moon shone brightly through the window during the very early hours of that cold morning with the wind blowing fiercely outside as a couple laid wrapped in each other's arms. They both seemed to be lost in another would, watching their 1 year old child sleep. She seemed so peaceful and perfect in that moment that almost nothing could have ruined that moment.

The man had long dark hair that stopped half way down his back. He was tall and muscular. His eyes were a piercing grey blue color that seemed to glow with love at this moment. But it was his ears that made him look non-human. He in fact was not human at all, but an elf.

His wife lay next to him with her back to his chest, her blue eyes watching their daughter. She had long silver hair that went down to her waist and had a slight curl to it. She was thin but still had the evidence of two other pregnancies.

The couple's daughter had her mother's silver hair and her father's grey blue eyes. The looks she would make would make her look even more like her father in every way. The small child had been much in that day and was rather tired. Her hair seemed to have a halo was the moon shone onto her hair. They had named her Riniel, which was quenya for crowned daughter because of that halo that formed when light hit her silver hair.

"Has her fever gone down?" He asked, reaching over to touch the sleeping child's hair. "Yes, she acts so much like you Elrond." She smiled, turning to see him. He leaned down to gently kiss her as the child shifted in her sleep, sighing softly. "And she looks like you, Celebrian." Elrond replied, breaking the kiss. "She will be so disappointed when you leave, she really misses you." She replied, turning to see their daughter roll onto her side facing her parents. "As I miss you both, one day soon we will all be together again." Elrond replied, placing his chin on her shoulder to watch his youngest child. "At least she got to see you today, she was so sick yesterday…the antibiotics the doctors gave her did not work." She told him softly, remembering the day before when she spent it all day in the hospital with her daughter.

Elrond nodded, watching Riniel thinking how much joy it would bring his father-in-law to have a grandchild that had his silver hair. Celebrian could see his eyes when she turned to see him thinking about something.

"What is wrong?" She asked, turning to see her husband. "Nothing, I was just thinking." Elrond replied, smiling. "And what were you thinking about my love?" She asked. "How happy your father would be to see he had a grandchild that had the same hair color as he." Elrond replied.

Just like always, he had to get up around dawn to go back to Rivendell to be with their other four children. He also had to go back to his duties of being the Lord of an Elven city that needed him during these dark times. Celebrian got up with him as well so she and Riniel could see him off. Also just like always, she was sleeping and would miss him when she awoke.

"I love you." Celebrian said, gently kissing her husband. "I love you too, I miss you so much." Elrond replied, kissing her back. "And I miss you…make sure that you send the others my love." She replied. "I will." He promised, taking Riniel into his arms one last time.

"And I will miss you too, my little princess." Elrond said, holding her close.

Suddenly, her grey blue eyes flickered open and she stared up at him. Riniel knew that her father had to leave again and would miss him dearly.

"I love you, ada." She said, her voice was like tiny bells. "I love you too, Riniel. Will you look after nana for me while I'm gone?" He asked. Her eyes met his as she nodded, refusing to cry. "That's my girl; I promise that I will come back, alright?" He told her. "Okay ada, I'm gonna miss you." Riniel told him. Elrond held her close one last time and kissed her forehead before her handed her back to Celebrian.

Riniel and Celebrian watched as Elrond's form disappeared into the sun light outside their home in Boulder, Colorado. He turned and waved at them just before he disappeared through the portal that lead to Middle Earth.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 1: A Promise Kept

It was a typical morning for Celebrian as she began her day. Riniel's 17th birthday was today and she had a big surprise coming that day. But she also knew that Riniel had to spend most of the day at The Rock.

She got dressed and walked down to her daughter's bed room. Her door was decorated with all sorts of pictures of her and her three best friends from over the last few years. Her hand was about to reach for the handle when she was pulled flush against someone.

"Good morning my love, what are you doing up so early?" A deep voice purred in her ear. She shivered when she heard the voice of her husband in her pointed ear. "I was getting our little princess up…she has somewhere to be this morning." She replied, as he kissed the tip of her ear. "Where and what are these pictures covering her chamber door?" He asked. "They are pictures that she had taken over the years since she started gymnastics." Celebrian replied. "I see, so is she still asleep." Elrond asked. "Yes and she still has her morning run to do before she drives over to the gym." She replied, turning in his arms, "Would you like to get her up, my dear husband?" Elrond smiled down at her as he kissed her gently. "I would love to, do you think it would be wise to let her meet the others now or wait till this evening?" He replied, smiling at her. "Now, I promised her that she could have her friends sleep over tonight." Celebrian replied, as she opened the door, "Do the others know about her?" "Yes, the twins are very excited to know that they have another baby sister." Elrond told her, laughing softly.

When they walked into the room, Elrond looked over at the brightly colored bed set that covered his daughter's body. Long silver hair greatly contrasted the blanket. He looked around and seen pictures and trophies all over the room. He also seen the duffle bag sitting on her desk all packed for the day with a track suit hanging on the closet door.

Suddenly a figure shifted beneath the covers and buried their head under the pillows. Elrond raised an eyebrow at them before turning to his wife. She smiled softly as she sat down at the desk, watching her husband attempt to wake their youngest child.

"Riniel, wake up." Elrond said, sitting down beside her on the bed. "No, too tired." She grumbled, hiding from the morning sun. "But I missed my little princess. The last time I saw you, you were still a babe." Elrond said.

Suddenly Riniel bolted up right in her warm bed and stared into her father's grey blue eyes. She was shocked to see her father there because it had been nearly 16 years since she seen him.

"Ada, you're here!" She said, nearly knocking him off the bed as she threw her arms around his neck. Elrond laughed as he hugged her back tightly. "Yes, little princess, it's me." He replied, pulling back to look at her. "But how, amme said that she did not know if you were gonna come for my birthday?" She asked, looking at him. "Well, your mother and I both thought that is was time that you knew the rest of your family now that you are older." Elrond told her. Riniel nodded as she stood up and stretched. Her mother laughed when she seen Elrond cringe at the sound of her knees and back popping.

The three walked out of her room once she dressed in her gk track suit for the day. Riniel had her long silver hair in a high and messy ponytail with a ribbon that was hot pink and black, which matched the leotard that she was wearing.

When she walked into the kitchen, she seen several people that she did not know. She looked to her mother and father, silently asking them who they were.

"That is the rest of your family that we wanted you to meet now that you are older." Elrond said, kissing her cheek. "Oh, but why did you guys wait to tell me I had siblings?" She asked, confused, "I kinda wanted to have a brother or a sister."

"Yes well considering that you are the youngest of the five of us that is funny." One of the people said. Riniel turned towards him and frowned. "What do you mean I'm the youngest?" She asked, "Can someone please tell me what going on because confusing me this early in the day is not a good this?"

Another person laughed and this time directed his voice to Elrond. He found it quite amusing to see his niece in a tizzy over meeting her family for the first time.

"Well done brother, you have successfully confused her." He teased. "Thank you Elros for stating the obvious." Elrond glared, causing all his children, including Riniel to laugh. "You are very welcome Elrond." Elros replied, winking at Riniel.

"So my older brothers and you two are twins?" Riniel asked, looking at her father. "And your older cousins but they could not come this time." Elrond replied, as her eyes widened. "Two sets of twins in one house…amme, do have house insurance right?" She asked, turning to her mother. "Yes Riniel, we do." She smirked.

"So I finally have a grandchild who has my hair." An elf with long silver hair said. "Yes ada, she does." Celebrian smiled, as he made his way over to her.

"Hello, Riniel." He said, smiling at her softly. Riniel smiled back, looking into his blue eyes. "Hi daerada…hi daernana." She smiled, looking at her grandparents. Celeborn smiled brightly as he hugged her tightly. "Hello little one, you certainly do look like you father…and a little of your mother." Galadriel replied, as she hugged her. "Amme says that I look like ada all the time, and that I even act like him sometimes." Riniel smiled, as her grandfather chuckled softly. "Oh, I find that hard to believe because from that question a few minutes ago, you reminded me of your mother." Celeborn smiled.

"No, that's only when she is relaxed…when she is all business and at the gym…she is just like her father." Celebrian replied. Her father raised an eyebrow never hearing of a gym before. "What is a gym?" He asked.

Riniel looked at her grandfather and frowned, forgetting that almost all of her family was from a mythical world that only existed in her favorite book series that was set in medieval times. There gymnastics did not exist.

"A gym is a build that you got to train at and it has equipment that is designed to help you train in whatever you are doing, kind of like how soldiers have training areas." Riniel said, looking at her phone.

She saw a text message from her friend Payson. She frowned because it had told her something she did not want to hear. They had yet again a new coach at The Rock. Riniel sighed in frustration as she handed her phone to Celebrian. The look in her daughter's eyes told her that it was not good.

Elrond sensed his daughter's distress and frowned. He did not like look of anger in her eyes, glaring at the device in her mother's hands.

Neither did the twins, or the others. They looked at her with worry. Her sister decided to break the uncomfortable silence to ask her.

"Little sister, what is wrong?" Arwen asked. "Nothing sis, it's nothing." Riniel replied, not wanting to worry them. Her other brother, who was adopted and her sister's husband laughed. "You do know that you can't lie to Arwen and make her believe that." He said, causing her to smile. "Estel, be nice…if she wanted to talk about it she would." Arwen said, looking at her husband. "It's fine Arwen…our coach Sasha went back to his home which is all the across the world from here because he was accused of having a inappropriate relationship with my best friend…we still don't know who sent the video to the NGO but if I find out, I'm going to kill them…but we have a new coach, I guess that Darby got fired or something." Riniel said, as Celebrian handed her the phone back.

"If you don't mind me asking, what is the NGO?" An elf with golden blonde hair asked. Riniel had not noticed him or the other person that stood beside him in the corner of the room. She smiled trying to think of how to explain who they were. "They are the National Gymnastics Organization. They control everything that happens in the sport and for the past few months they have been a real pain the ass." Riniel said, not caring if she had just cussed.

"RINIEL!" Elrond said, glaring at her. Celebrian had to jump to her defense at that moment because he did not the real reason behind why she said that. Glorfindel chuckled, thinking that she was very much like her mother.

"Elrond if you knew half of what has occurred in the last year; you would understand why she said that." Celebrian said. "But she did not need to speak like that." Elrond said.

"Yes ada, I will try to keep my expressive words at a minimum." Riniel said sweetly. "Alright, as for the problems you are having at the gym, are any of the accusations about your former coach true?" Elrond asked, as Celebrian stiffened and Riniel turned towards him with pure fury in her eyes. "No, Sasha would never do that and I know for a fact that even if he did have feelings for Payson, he would wait until she is older or at least till he isn't coaching her anymore." Riniel said her voice deathly calm.

"Well Ada, it's easy to see whose temper our little sister has." Elladan smirked, as his twin laughed. "Yes, she definitely your child, her voice even gets creepy calm just like you when you are really mad." Elrohir added. Elrond glared at his sons briefly before turning to see Riniel walking towards a large chest in the kitchen.

She opened it and pulled out a bottle and opened it. Celebrian smiled when she heard soft thud of the fridge closing. Her mother and father smiled at their granddaughter walk back over and smiled.

"Aren't you going to eat something too, or are you going to pass out again?" Celebrian asked causing Riniel to laugh. "No and yes I was…can I please show off though?" She asked, pouting at her mother.

"Show off, as long as it is not Glorfindel showing off." The other person in the corner said. "No Erestor, I know exactly what she means by showing off… I suppose you can. Just take off your sock so you don't slip this time." Celebrian said. "Thank you amme; you're the best." Riniel said.

"What did you tell her she could do?" Elrond asked, watching his daughter remove her tracksuit, shoes and socks. "Show off." Celebrian replied.

Beneath her tracksuit was a gk black and hot pink swirl tank leotard. She centered herself with the counter top on the far side of the kitchen and cleared her mind. Riniel decided to not overdo it and done a simple mount as if she were on the beam.

Celeborn and Galadriel looked at her with pride in their eyes as she done a back flip onto the counter when there was so little space. Riniel smirked knowing that they were all watching her closely at this point.

"Here amme, catch." Riniel said, tossing a meal bar to her mother across the room.

Riniel casually walked along the edge of the counter and carefully lined up with cleared island in the middle of the kitchen. She carefully turned around and took a deep breath. This would be the first time she had done this particular aerial dismount outside the gym.

The object was to flip four times in mid air and find the ground to stick the landing. She had just enough space to do it too. Riniel knew she could do this and she had to if she wanted to go to Rio in the coming weeks.

Riniel back flipped onto the island and kept flipping until she found the end and leapt off. She could hear the gasps from her family, including her mother who had seen her practice many times. She smile wide as her feet landed back onto the kitchen floor and stuck the landing.

"Ta-da!" She said, when she seen the shock and awe on her family's faces. "How did you do…that is not possible?" Elrohir asked, unable to fathom what his baby sister just did. "Not probable? I have been doing things like that since I was five that was nothing." Riniel replied, taking the meal bar from her mother.

"My dear niece that was wonderful…but what is that you are wearing?" Elros asked, noticing the brightly colored leo she wore. "This is a practice leotard; it's something we wear in gymnastics." Riniel replied. "But it's rather cold, don't you wear long sleeved one?" Elrond asked, not really like the idea that his daughter was not really wearing that much. "Those would be competition leos, and I sometimes wear really short shorts and a compression top." Riniel replied.

"Well little princess as much as you and I want to catch up, you have somewhere to be in an hour." Celebrian pointing to the clock on the wall. "Crap, why didn't you tell me." Riniel asked. "Well this is your first time meeting your family…come on you have all night to spent with them…and yes your friends can still come." Celebrian replied. "Wait, who is gonna stay with me at the gym, remember?" Riniel asked. "I don't know because I don't trust your brothers to not burn down the house while I'm gone…" Celebrian replied.

"What is wrong?" Galadriel asked. "At the gym, they want there to always be a parent there with the girls at all times…but I need to stay here to keep things calm." Celebrian replied, knowing her mother and father understood what she was saying. "How many are usually allowed?" Celeborn asked. "Three people max per child." Riniel said, looking down at her phone, texting her friend back.

"I could take her." Elrond offered. Riniel looked up and smiled. "And I would also like to see what my granddaughter does all day." Celeborn said. Riniel looked at them and then her mother. "Really, you really want to come?" Riniel asked. "Yes, after that little stunt you did, I would really like to see what makes you like this sport so much." Elrond said.

Riniel ran over to her father and threw her arms around his neck, hugging him tightly. He was caught off guard, but returned the embrace.

"I love ada." Riniel whispered in his ear. "And I love you, my little princess." Elrond said, kissing her hair.

"I love you too, daerada." Riniel said, hugging her grandfather. "And I love you too, my little one." Celeborn said, hugging her back.

"Alright, I will see you guys around three and remember that Payson is coming home with you." Celebrian said. "Yes amme…lets go before our new coach lights into me about being late." Riniel said, as the three walked out the front door.

"Hey ada, do you remember when you promised you would come back?" Riniel asked, unlocking her 2012 BMW X-6. "Yes, I do remember that, what about it?" Elrond asked, getting the passenger side door. "You kept your promise; you promised you would come back…you came back at a time that I really need my family with me." Riniel told him, smiling at her father. "Your father is an ellon of his word, he keeps the promises he makes." Celeborn said. "Yes he does, and I'm glad…so are you guys ready to go?" Riniel asked, putting on her seatbelt. "Yes we are?" Celeborn said, as he and Elrond put theirs on as well. "Let's go." Riniel replied, as she started the car.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 2: Meeting the team

Elrond and Celeborn were in awe as the pulled up to The Rock. Riniel had a smile plastered on her face watching them as one of her favorite songs, Let it Rock by Kevin Rudolf featuring Lil'Wayne ended. To all of gymnasts that trained at The Rock, that song was their theme song. But her good mood was quickly diminished when she seen a large fork lift and crane outside the gym and a large tour bus.

Riniel pulled inter her parking space that had her name on is, which was located next to her friend Payson's spot. The Keelers had also just pulled in just as she did and looked just as confused as she did.

"Who is that?" Riniel asked herself, looking up at the large crane. "What is wrong, little one?" Celeborn asked. "Somebody is hanging a sign over Kaylie's sign." Riniel said, frowning over the sight. "Kaylie is one of your friends, am I correct." Elrond asked. "Yeah, she is, but Payson is my best friend." She replied, waving at her friend as they walked over.

Riniel got out of the SUV and took her bag out of the backseat as her father and grandfather got out as well. She smiled when she realized they did not look the same.

Both of them had short hair and were dressed in slacks, long sleeve polo shirts and sport coats and dress shoes. They no longer held their elven appearances save for the way they carried themselves and the color of their eyes and hair and their elven glow.

"PAYSON!" Riniel called, catching her friend's attention. The blonde looked up and smiled. "Hey, who are they?" Payson replied. Payson was the only person that Riniel trusted with her family's true identity. "My daddy and my grandpa." Riniel replied, smiling. Payson's eyes got wide when she realized who they were. "No way, but I thought you haven't seen him since you were a baby…and you never met the rest of your family." Payson asked. "Well that was all true…all four of my older siblings, my uncle, my grandparents and two very close family friends. I met them all this morning." Riniel replied, as Payson's mother Kim walked over. She too also knew about Celebrian's and Riniel's secret.

"Hello Rini, where is your mom?" Kim smiled, walking over to hug her. "Amme is at home… Miss Kim this is my ada and my daerada." Riniel replied, pointing to them.

Kim smiled at Elrond and Celeborn warmly at them. She could tell from what Celebrian told her about Elrond that he was a good person as well as her father.

"Your daughter is an angel." Kim told him, causing Riniel to blush. "That is what her mother told me…and from what Celebrian said our little princess is a wonderful gymnast as well." Elrond replied, only adding to the dark pink that colored her cheeks. Celeborn laughed when she pulled her hood over her head.

Suddenly Riniel heard the motor of a dirt bike pulling into the parking area. Payson smirked when she seen her friend's hood come flying off. Riniel stood, frozen when she seen who was on the bike.

"No freaking way." Riniel said, turning to her friend. "Yup he is back." Payson said as their coach walked towards them.

Sasha could see Riniel's face and could not help but laugh. She had been hardest hit along with Payson when he left. Riniel took off running towards him and hugged.

"Oh my gosh, you're back." Riniel said, throwing her arms around his neck. "Yes, I'm back, for good this time." Sasha replied, hugging her back. "Do not ever do that again, you messed my groove up so bad with that stunt." Riniel said, smiling at her coach. "But you made the team…on your own…how is your ankle?" He asked. "Better, I can't believe we got our butt kicked by Pinewood." Riniel frowned.

Elrond and Celeborn could tell that was their new coach and knew that Riniel was happy again. Elrond turned to Kim and smiled.

"So that is Sasha?" Celeborn asked. "Yes, he helped those two so much in the last year…they could never have gotten this far without his help…Riniel does well in everything…but the beam is her strongest event." Kim said.

"And you must be Riniel's father and grandfather?" Sasha asked, as the three walked over. Riniel smiled as she placed her head on Elrond's arm. "Yes, so when is your next competition?" Elrond replied, looking down at Riniel.

"Three weeks, so you have you dismount ready?" Payson asked. "Just did this morning off the counter top." Riniel replied. Sasha shook his head as a ghost of a smile crossed his lips. "Riniel, I thought you learned your lesson from the last time you did that." He asked. "Do I want to know what happened?" Elrond asked. "She had a knife go through her arms when she slipped on the counter top…she nearly missed the world trials." Sasha replied.

Elrond turned to her with wide eyes, terror in his blue grey eyes. Celeborn chuckled softly when she smiled innocently at them. Payson smirked when Elrond glared.

"When was this?"Elrond asked. "Uhm…like earlier in the year." Riniel replied. "You are going to make my hair go grey faster than your brothers ever had." Elrond said. Riniel smiled at him.

"Riniel, Payson!" A voice called, as a blonde got out a black hummer. Riniel and Payson looked up to see Lauren Tanner run over, smiling with a huge duffle bag in her arms. "Hey girly, what's up?" Riniel replied, smiling at her friend. "I'm super excited about tonight; I brought everything we'll need." Lauren told her. Riniel and Payson shared a look of fear in their eyes. "What kind of things did you bring?" Payson asked. "You know makeup and hair stuff." Lauren said, looking at Riniel in particular. "Nice try but you are not getting anywhere near my hair with dye or anything of that nature…I like my silver hair as it is…I would like it to stay this color." Riniel said. "Ok, not even highlights?" Lauren asked. "No…not even them." Riniel replied.

Lauren's father, Steve laughed upon hearing that. Lauren loved to tease Riniel about her hair. Riniel did the same to Lauren about how she dressed when they weren't in the gym.  
"So you said no to getting your hair done?" Steve asked. Riniel nodded, hiding her face in her father's shoulder from Lauren's evil smirk. "Yep…but she still dresses too preppy for my taste." Riniel said. Steve smirked when she said that then notice her father and grandfather standing there. "So your father is here in town?" Steve asked.

Riniel beamed at him and shook her head yes. He laughed as Lauren hugged him. He knew how it was to be a single parent and often helped Celebrian when she needed someone to watch Riniel if she had to leave town because of her work.

"This is Mr. Steve, he's Lauren's dad." Riniel told Elrond and Celeborn. The three introduced themselves and began talking while the girls put their sleep over bags in the back of Riniel's X-6.

Then they all looked up to see their friend, Kaylie Cruz's dad's car pulling into the parking lot and grew excited. It had been nearly a week since Kaylie had been named Worlds team Capitan for Team USA. They all thought she deserved it since she had over come so much in the last year. Riniel was proud of her because she got help for something that would kill her if she hadn't.

"Kay is here." Lauren said. "Great, then you girls can get to work on finalizing you world's routines." Sasha said, causing Celeborn to chuckle at Riniel dark smirk. "I already have mine ready, you just have to see it to approve."Riniel replied. "This I have to see, you with a routine finished before Payson." Sasha teased. She glared at him and turned to see Kaylie and Alex Cruz approaching.

"Who has their routine done before Payson?" Alex Cruz asked. "Riniel does." The other said, except for Celeborn and Elrond. "But I do have it done…y'all will see." Riniel said. Kaylie laughed, and then noticed to two ellons beside her friend. "Who are they?" Kaylie asked. Riniel smiled at her, before telling her. "They are my daddy and my grandpa." Riniel replied. "But…do you know who they look like?" Kaylie asked. Riniel and Payson grinned. "Two famous actors from our favorite movie trilogy?" Payson replied. "Yes, one who plays that creepy killer in the sifi movie?" Riniel replied, shuttering at the memory of watching that movie. The others laughed at her for that night.

"Alright you four inside now and get warmed up…we have a long day ahead of us and we can't afford to waste any time." Sasha told the girls. They nodded and rushed inside and their families followed them in to where the parents sat.


End file.
